A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the…A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the…

A second cause of this slowness may be ignorance of the way how this assurance is to be sought, upon what foundation it is to be laid, in what orde• they come unto it. Sometimes they mis-conceive the promises, as if they were offered only to Believers, and not laid as the foundations of faith, and thereupon falsely conclude, that no promise is made unto them, because they cannot find that they do believe. Sometimes they mistake the nature of faith, taking it to be a persuasion or assurance that their sins are pardoned, and so conclude, that they have no faith, because they want assurance: when in the order of nature, faith is precedent to actual remission. And many times Christians are herein deceived, that they fear to receive and apply the promises of grace, till they can find in themselves such a measure of sanctification, as is scarce, if at all, attainable in this life. These and such like blocks must be removed by good information, acquainting themselves out of the word of God, what faith is, the order in which we must climb up to assurance, how the promises are to be received, and what is the true use of sanctification. But two things are specially to be learned for their direction.

A second cause of this slownesse may be ignorance of the way how this assurance is to be sought, vpon what foundation it is to be laid, in what orde• they come vnto it. Sometimes they mis-conceiue the promises, as if they were offered only to Belieuers, and not laid as the foundations of faith, and thereupon falsely conclude, that no promise is made vnto them, because they cannot finde that they doe belieue. Sometimes they mistake the nature of faith, taking it to be a perswasion or assurance that their sinnes are pardoned, and so conclude, that they haue no faith, because they want assurance: when in the order of nature, faith is precedent to actuall remission. And many times Christians are herein deceiued, that they feare to receiue and apply the promises of grace, till they can finde in themselues such a measure of sanctification, as is scarce, if at all, attaineable in this life. These and such like blockes must bee remoued by good information, acquainting themselues out of the word of God, what faith is, the order in which wee must climbe vp to assurance, how the promises are to be receiued, and what is the true vse of sanctification. But two things are specially to be learned for their direction.